The Baby Years
by Victoria Relentless
Summary: The Chipmunks are babies who can't even talk yet. This story takes place in the forest with the Chipmunks' mom, Vinny. See what life was like before Dave, and find out what happened to their dad.


Deep in the forest, there stood a tall, hollow oak tree that had been made into a quaint little house. There was a cobblestone sidewalk that led to the front door, which had a heart carved in it. This was the home of a mother chipmunk and her three babies.

"Alvin, where are you?" You could hear a small giggle coming from the piano bench.

"_How did I know he would be hiding there?," _thought Vinny.

The piano was one of Alvin's favorite things, and he always hid under the bench whenever they played hide and seek. She walked over to the piano bench near the front door and stooped down next to it. There was little Alvin in his bib and diaper. He was covering his eyes with his hands, thinking that that would conceal him even more.

"There you are!" she announced. "I was looking all over for you. You're such a good hider!" Alvin looked proud that he had hid in such a clever spot. Vinny grabbed him and started to tickle him all over his soft sandy-colored fur. Alvin's laughter became uncontrollable. Vinny stopped and gave Alvin a chance to catch his breath.

"Can you help me find Simon now?" Alvin nodded his head eagerly and tugged on her hand. He led her to the stairs. Alvin tried to crawl up the stairs, but he just couldn't get up them. After all, he had just learned to walk two weeks ago. Vinny smiled at Alvin's futile attempts to get upstairs. It would take a couple more weeks until he could make it up on his own. She picked him up and let him lead her to the nursery.

In the corner of the room by the window, you could see the Chipmunks' bookshelf with several open books around it. The books were standing upright, creating a big circle. Alvin toddled over to the books and pulled one out of the little "fort". Simon was on his stomach, reading the book Alvin had just taken away. Simon immediately stood up and glared at Alvin. Just then, he saw Vinny and remembered that he was supposed to be hiding. He grabbed a book and put it in front of his head.

"Oh, my!" gasped Vinny. "I just saw Simon, but now he's gone again! Could he be under the bed?" She looked under the bed. Alvin uttered a protest and pointed towards the levitating book that was hiding Simon. Vinny nodded her head and tiptoed towards it.

"Surprise!" Vinny removed the book from his face and scooped Simon and Alvin up in her arms. "Now, let's go downstairs and find Theodore."

You could hear a low rustling noise and an occasional clink of some dishes that came from the kitchen. One of the low kitchen cabinets was slightly ajar and a tiny foot was sticking out. Vinny set Alvin and Simon down, and they eagerly raced each other to the cabinet. Simon won because his legs were longer than Alvin's legs, but Alvin opened the cabinet first. Theodore was happily munching on raspberries that Vinny had set aside to use in raspberry tarts.

"Oh, Theodore. Now I don't have enough to make those tarts for you boys." The boys looked up in horror and then at each other. No raspberry tarts?

"Well, maybe I can go pick some more, but Theodore, you need a bath first." Theodore looked down at his red stained bib and sticky fur. He ate a small piece of a raspberry that had stuck to his arm. He didn't think he looked that dirty. Alvin and Simon looked at each other for a moment and nodded their heads in mutual agreement. Simon went in a cabinet where Vinny kept the box of soap flakes, and Alvin began rolling the washtub over to the sink.

"Thank you, boys. That's so nice of you to help Mommy." They shook their heads and pointed to the soap and washtub and then to themselves.

"What? You want to do it? All by yourselves?" They nodded eagerly.

"I don't think so. You're both still too little." Simon rigorously shook his head, offended that she could even think that about him. Alvin simply stared at her with such a pathetically sad look that it would melt the heart of the Snow Miser.

"All right, boys, you can give Theodore a bath, but please try not to make a mess." They nodded, agreeing not to make a mess. Alvin turned around and smiled; he knew how to change his mother's mind.

Vinny brought a couple chairs over to the sink and started filling the washtub up with water. Alvin shut the water off, and Simon began pushing her towards the door.

"Okay, I'm going. Let me get my basket and shawl. I'll be right back." She closed the door and rolled a heavy stone in front of it.

"_They should be safe while I'm gone. I know they won't fall off the counter. Chipmunks after all have a wonderful gift of balance. This stone will keep them inside just in case they try to leave." _It was getting cold outside, and Vinny pulled her shawl closer around her to keep out the wind. Since it was almost winter, it would be harder for her to find raspberries, but she was willing to do anything for her boys.

Alvin turned the water back on and started to fill up the tub. Simon walked over to Theodore to help him get undressed, but Theodore had other ideas in mind. He ran away and headed to his stool and cooking bowls on the other side of the room. Simon chased him right and left across the room. Alvin was thoroughly enjoying himself watching this cat and mouse game. Theodore was really giving Simon a run for his money. Alvin laughed after Theodore threw his blanket over Simon's head and dashed away again.

Simon's glasses fell off as he lifted up the blanket. Alvin laughed even more. Simon groped for his glasses and put them back on his head upside down. Now, Alvin was in stitches. Blushing, Simon fixed his glasses and looked at Alvin as if to say, "Please come over here and help me!"

Alvin rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed that he had to get off the comfortable counter. He slowly crawled down and ran towards Theodore at top speed. Theodore saw Alvin from the corner of his eye and ran under the table behind some chairs. Simon and Alvin grabbed for Theodore, but he kept getting out of their reach. Simon pulled away a chair from the opposite side of the table and crawled underneath. Theodore made a bolt through the open area where the two chairs were missing. Alvin was too quick for him and tackled him. Simon met up with Alvin and helped him remove Theodore's dirty bib. Theodore just sat there with his arms crossed, a pout on his face.

They all walked back to the sink and saw that water was all over the floor. Alvin had forgotten to turn the faucet off! Simon quickly ran to find some towels. Since Simon was getting the towels, Alvin didn't know what else to do but to sit down and wait for him. Theodore, unsure of what to do, went on the counter and stumbled upon the box of soap. He knew his bath needed bubbles; he began pouring in the soap flakes.

Theodore, however; didn't know when to stop. Alvin was whistling a little tune that he had heard his mother play on the piano and looking down at his toes when he heard Simon utter a little cry. Alvin looked up and saw soap everywhere. Theodore was laughing as he played with the soap, and Simon scrambled to mop up the floor with a towel slightly bigger than his hand. That was the biggest towel he could find. The scene looked so funny that Alvin couldn't help but chuckle.

Then, Alvin's mischievous nature kicked in. He walked over to Soap Mountain, picked up a huge handful of bubbles, and threw them right at Simon. Shocked and annoyed that Alvin would pick this of all times to play around, Simon threw soap back at Alvin. Theodore, not wanting to miss out on the fun, threw soap at Alvin too. Then Alvin and Simon threw soap at Theodore, who in turn tried to throw soap at Alvin but hit Simon instead. Simon thought Alvin had hit him and threw a huge bubble ball at him. Alvin lunged at Simon, and soon they were all sliding on the wet, soapy floor.

It was at this moment that Vinny walked inside. "Boys, I'm-"

Her eyes beheld the Chipmunks covered with soap and soaking wet. The water had made their fur stringy and spiky. Simon's glasses were smeared with soap; Alvin's hair was in a mohawk. Theodore had soap on his nose. The water and soap had almost reached the other side of the room, and some of her knitting that was on the floor was wet.

"_I knew that they would make a mess. Oh, well."_ She simply smiled and gave all three of them a bath. Then she sent them off to their room to play while she cleaned up the mess.

After everything was clean, Vinny started making dinner. Tonight, they were going to have cooked maple leaves topped with acorns, walnuts, and mosquitoes with a fresh blackberry, strawberry, and sunflower seed salad. The Chipmunks were now squeaky clean and had everything cleaned up. They were quite hungry after the afternoon's events.

Vinny placed the fruit salad on the center of the table and gently smacked Theodore's hand as he tried to steal a berry. Simon straightened his napkin on his lap, and Alvin peered into the bowl to make sure there were no mosquitoes in it. He hated mosquitoes. To his displeasure, he saw that their dinner was covered with them. Alvin pushed his plate away as soon as Vinny placed it in front of him.

"What is it?" He pointed at the mosquitoes. "Oh. Just try one." He shook his head. "You have to eat some sort of meat. You don't like beetles or ants. This is the only other meat to eat. "

Alvin stubbornly shook his head and stuck out his tongue.

"Can I get you something else?"

Alvin pointed to the pan of raspberry tarts cooking over the fire.

"Not until you have some sort of meat."

Alvin refused.

"I give up. Eat some of your leaves."

Alvin looked at them and saw that they were cooked! Yuck! He only liked fresh leaves.

"What is it, Alvin? Oh, I forgot that you hate cooked leaves. I'll get you some fresh ones."

Alvin beamed. His mom sure did love him. That, and she was so tired after all that had happened today that she hadn't felt like arguing.

Simon chattered at Theodore.

"Theodore, what have I warned you about stealing food off of your brothers' plates? Here, Simon, some more acorns for you."

After dinner was finished, the Chipmunks ate their dessert. The raspberry tarts were everything they had anticipated. Their mom was a great cook. Now it was time to get ready for bed. Every night, Vinny would play a couple songs on the piano and read them a bedtime story.

" 'Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.' "

"Did you like that?" They nodded their heads; Theodore let a big yawn escape from him.

"Is it time to stop now?" They shook their heads.

"Alright one more song. How about 'The Sandman'?" She started to play the song she had written.

Meanwhile, Alvin got a stool; he used it to climb onto the bench in order to watch her play. He watched her fingers glide across the keys. It looked like so much fun; he wanted to do it too. He flexed his fingers, stared at the keys, and meticulously pounded on a few notes. Theodore and Simon looked up in surprise to hear where the loud noise was coming from.

Vinny laughed as she watched Alvin. He thought he knew how to play the piano. A large smile was across his face as he played, and Alvin spoke his first words, "I play good!"

"Alvin, you're talking! Honey, that's wonderful! I'm so happy!" She knelt down and gave him a big kiss. Alvin's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

Simon was a little jealous that Vinny was giving Alvin all this attention. He decided that he needed to distract his mom from showering Alvin with more praise. He toddled over to the book they had picked out for her to read, and he handed it to her.

"Okay, Simon. I think it is time for a story now. This book is about a great Chipmunk named Chatterstripe Boone. He was one of the first pioneers of the forest on this side of the country. Once upon a time, in a tiny little burrow, there lived a chipmunk named Chatterstripe."

Nothing could tear Simon away from that book. Vinny was in her rocking chair, and Simon was on her lap, staring at all the fascinating pictures and beautiful black marks called words. Theodore was nearby playing with some blocks, and Alvin was sitting on the piano fingering the keys, not even paying attention to the story.

"When you look at a great walnut tree, think of Chatterstripe Boone. The end. Did you like that?"

Simon stopped Vinny's hands from closing the book and cried out in protest, "Read more, read again!!"

He had spoken his first words too. Realizing that he just talked, Simon looked at his mother to see her reaction.

"Simon! You just talked too! Oh, I'm so happy and proud of both of you!" She looked over at Alvin to let him know that she hadn't forgotten him.

"I'll read the story again, just for you." Simon snuggled down in her arms, ready to be taken back to the wilderness with Chatterstripe.

Alvin did not want to hear this story again. It was so boring! Who cared about some chipmunk who "paved the wilderness". He didn't even know what that meant! He had to think of a way to stop that story. He decided that if he played the piano loud enough, Vinny would stop and even want to play another song.

Bang, bang, thud!

"Honey, please stop making that noise. I'm trying to read. Chatterstripe stared bleakly at the vast wilder-"

Ding, thunk, bang!

"Alvin!" He didn't listen. In fact, he pounded on the keys even louder. Vinny tried shouting to him, but it was no use. Simon did not like the fact that his story was being interrupted. He tried to yell at Alvin too. All you could hear was a tangled noise of piano notes and yelling."

"Stop!!" a loud voice cried. The raucous stopped short. They looked to see where that voice had come from. Theodore was standing next to his block tower with a frown on his face.

"I'm hungry," he stated in a softer voice when he had everyone's attention. Then Theodore covered his mouth with his hands. He couldn't believe what just came out.

"Theodore, you're talking too! This is wonderful, just wonderful! I'll go get you a tiny snack, then off to bed."

Vinny walked around her little house, making sure everything was tidy before she tucked her boys into bed. She was overjoyed that the Chipmunks could talk now. It made her so proud of them, but it also made her a little sad. "_I wish their father was here to see them now. He'd be so proud too."_ She stared longingly at a photograph of him that she kept hidden away in a drawer in her room.

It had been six months now since that awful spring day in the woods. Jonathan had wanted to go out to gather more food for him and his pregnant wife to last throughout the winter. Vinny had insisted that they had plenty to last for 8 chipmunks all winter. Besides he had gathered everything he could around the house. But Jonathan wanted to look at the Forbidden Side of the forest. He was sure that there would be plenty of food there.

Vinny had tried in vain to convince him not to go. There was no changing Jonathan's mind. He was a risk-taker, an adventurer, and would do anything to provide for his family. So, he kissed Vinny goodbye and headed towards the woods, whistling a cheery tune. That was the last time she had ever seen him.

A couple weeks later, a blue jay friend of hers who lived on the Forbidden Side came to bring her the news.

"There was accident," he had said. "Jonathan was gathering acorns when he saw one lonely acorn hanging on a branch 20 feet above him. He couldn't resist the challenge and climbed up the tree to get it. But… he lost his footing… and fell down. There was an open steel trap hidden under some leaves right underneath the acorn. Nobody could have saved him. I'm sorry."

Even though she hadn't been there, that sound of a steel trap snapping shut had haunted her in her sleep. Her husband had died doing what he loved best, going against ordinary rules. That's why she worried about Alvin the most. Jonathan had looked just Alvin; they even shared the same confident little smile. Alvin was just as free-spirited and defiant as Jonathan was, and she didn't want anything to happen to Alvin.

Pushing the thought quickly out of her mind, she crept into the nursery to check on them. Theodore was snuggled under all the covers, nearly asleep. Simon was reading a book, something he wasn't supposed to be doing, but he was nearly asleep too. Alvin was on the left side of Simon, fighting to keep his eyes open. Vinny started to sing her lullaby to them.

"Hush abye, little ones.

Close your eyes, little ones.

Dream time is here, you needn't fear.

And when you wake, I will be hear.

Rest your heads, little ones.

Dream sweet dreams, little ones.

The stars say, 'Good night.'

I say, 'Sleep tight.'

And when you wake, I will be there."

She gently removed Simon's book and glasses from the bed. Then she tucked them all in. A tender kiss was placed on each chipmunk's forehead. They smiled serenely as they slipped off to dreamland.

"Goodnight, boys. I love you."


End file.
